Rear subframe hole MOT fail?

Hi,

I am currently treating and undersealing my mg tf.  Done the front subframe now doing the rear.

To get rid off rust I bash with a hammer as an early stage before using a dremel etc.  I was using a claw hammer and used the claw end by mistake and puched a hole in the top of a box section near the rear subframe front mount.  I is the only bit of serious corrosion I have found.

I am assuminjg this is an MOT fail as it is within 30cm of the mount.

Question is, can this been fixed?  I was thinking making a 2-3mm steel plate cut to fit the top of box and weld over after cutting out all old bit.
Would that pass do you think?

Complete new rear subframe because of a small hole seems a bit excessive.

Cheers,

Iain.

 

The location is :-

If you stand at the rear tyre of an mg tf and face towards the front of the car, look into wheel well and it is clearly visable, at least when jacked up and wheels off the ground.
It is the cap or roof of a small box section surrounding a bolt.

Condition is the same on the other side but only rot on the top part, metal is sound all around.  Rest of subframe is good.

MOT's keep getting harder to pass so not sure if a repair will be ok.  I don't think welding is allowed on any part of subframe anymore. When welded, a cut to size piece covered with Bilt Hamber Dynax UB it would probably be undectable.

Hi and welcome to the forum

That metal look jolly thin anyway.
A fully welded seam should be ok for the MOT.

James

Thanks for reply

Sent photos and description to mobile welder and he thinks it a simple easy fix that will be ok for MOT.

Pretty much what I said, 2mm plate welded over.

I will post cost of repair and if it goes through MOT ok in a few weeks in case anybody else has this problem.

Iain.

Welder seems very busy, took a while to get a price.

Cost will be £150 to fix both top plates and a small finger sized hole I ground out on end of sill in the wheel arch.

Not sure if that is good or bad price but no other welders replied or the don't do cars.

Iain.

The garage that does my repairs charge £300 for any sort of welding, I think it is their default price.

I have just repaired a hole in my rear sill.
It cost me £80 for the repair panel, £80 for the welder and £60 for paint and filler so a bit of a saving.

Hi,

Not a bad price then, I thought it would be about £80 and hour.  Don't have any choice anyway

Probably cheaper as it does not have to look pretty, small hole is on sill is in wheel well, think that would be a fail on the MOT as well.  Too close to subrafe mounting even if not in any way supporting.

Hole in bottom left ish.

 

Doh!

Wrong image.

This one.

That hole looks very superficial, but as you say, it is within a couple of inches of the subframe mount. It isn't structural in any way, so you could fill it with mastic if you wanted to I guess....

That small hole is in the sill which forms part of the structure of the car, it is important on any modern car without a separate chassis, more important on a convertible.

MOT regulations on this are based on the assumption that if it isn't cured it will get worse. In simple terms ANY hole within 300mm/30cms/approx. 12" of a suspension component is a fail.

Don't try and hide it, fix it.

Hi,

Welder fixed all three problems, cost £150.



Not sure if you can post contact details on this forum but he is called "Cornwall Mobile Welding", quick search will find, only seems to be 2 mobile welders in Cornwall that will work on cars.
Offered to teach me welding as well for free if I brought a welder.

Might be of use to anybody in this part of the UK.

Cheers,

Iain.

TwistedPuppet wrote:

...Offered to teach me welding as well for free if I brought a welder....

 

What are you waiting for?